CINCLORAMPHUS CRURALIS. 
Brown Cincloramphus. 
Megalurus cruralis, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 228. 
Cincloramphus cruralis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 150 ; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV. 
As there are two, if not three, species of this very singular genus inhabiting the southern portion of 
Australia, which bear a great resemblance to each other, it becomes necessary to state that the bird repre- 
sented in the accompanying Plate is the one commonly seen during the months of spring and summer in all 
the open districts of New South Wales, in which country it arrives in August, and after performing the 
task of incubation, departs again in January or February. Open downs, grassy flats and fields of corn are 
its favourite places of resort. It is certainly one of the most animated of the Australian birds. Had 
I not visited Australia and personally studied its habits, my credulity would have been severely taxed 
upon being informed that the two birds here figured represent the male and female of the same species, 
many genera having been instituted upon much slighter grounds of difference ; I had abundant proofs, 
however, that such is really the case, having seen many of the nests and eggs with the parent bird in 
the act of incubation, during the two seasons I spent in the country. In most of its habits and in its 
economy this bird closely assimilates to the Skylark of Europe. During the early months of spring it 
trips over the ground in the most sprightly manner with its tail nearly erect ; mounts on the dead limbs 
of trees and the fences of enclosures, and runs along them with the greatest dexterity ; at this season of 
the year also the male may be frequently seen running beside his diminutive partner, and so busily engaged 
in pouring forth his song for her amusement, as to be apparently unconscious of the presence of any 
other object. After the female has chosen the place for her nest, which is always on the ground, the 
male, like the Skylark, frequently mounts in the air with a tremulous motion of the wings, and after 
cheering her with his animated song, descends again to the ground or skims off to a neighbouring tree, 
and incessantly pours forth his voluble and not unpleasing notes. 
I found it very abundant in all the Upper Hunter districts, as well as in all the surrounding country, both 
to the north and south : I killed numerous examples of both sexes, but not one male with the throat and 
under surface black, like specimens I have seen from Port Philip and South Australia, and which I consider 
to be specifically distinct. 
The male has the entire plumage brown, each feather margined with brownish white ; a large patch of 
dark brown on the centre of the abdomen ; bill, inside of the mouth and tongue black ; irides hazel ; feet 
flesh-brown. 
The female is similar in colour, hut the feathers being more broadly margined with brownish white gives 
her a paler hue than her mate ; the under surface is also much lighter, and the patch in the centre of the 
abdomen is much smaller. 
The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size. 
